Botanic Garden >> Gardening > >> Question and Answer >> About Gardening

Sugarcane Beetle Misidentification: Correcting the Record on a Lawn Pest

A Correction Story

In a 2010 newsletter, I misidentified beetles swarming a shopping center as May beetles (Phyllophaga spp.). UGA entomologist Kris Braman corrected me: they were sugarcane beetles (Euetheola humilis). This correction highlights an important distinction for turf managers.

Key Differences

Management Implication

Since sugarcane beetle adults damage turf (unlike most beetles where larvae are the pests), control timing differs. Standard lawn insecticides work on adults when they're active. The original question described hundreds of beetles around building foundations—classic sugarcane beetle behavior.

Resources

Sugarcane Beetle in Georgia
Sugarcane Beetle in North Carolina

May beetle (incorrect original identification)

Sugarcane beetle (correct ID, courtesy Paul Skelley)

About Gardening: Pine Beetle Pitch Tubes: Identify the Borer; Squash Beetle vs. Mexican Bean Beetle: Spot the Difference; August Buzzing: May Beetles Feeding in Tree Canopies; Hercules Beetle Identification: Male vs. Female and Fascinating Behaviors; Controlling Daisy Beetles on Coneflowers and Black-Eyed Susans; Pine Beetles: Remove Infested Trunks, But Chips Are Safe for Mulch; Asparagus Beetle Control: Sanitation, Hand-Picking, and Persistent Spraying; Identifying and Controlling Brown Beetles Swarming Your Porch Lights; Willow Leaf Beetle: Metallic Pests on Corkscrew Willow; Pine Bark Beetle Identification: Species, Attack Patterns, and Prevention

Garden Articles

Small Black Beetles on Ornamental Cherry: Organic Options Spinosad or Neem

Sawdust from Ambrosia Beetle-Infested Tree: No Risk

Yellowmargined Leaf Beetle on Turnips and Collards

Japanese Beetle Decline Linked to Dry Summer

Sasanqua vs. Japanese Camellia: Bloom Time, Species Differences, and Cultivar Selection

How to Tell Rat Droppings from Mouse Droppings

Crabgrass Identification and Prevention in Bermuda Lawns

Plants

Eliminating Cigarette Beetles from Your Pantry: A 5-Step Plan

Organic Japanese Beetle Control: Soap, Pyrethrin, and Realistic Expectations

Chemical Control for Japanese Beetles: When Hand-Picking Isn't Enough

Squash Bugs: Copper Eggs = Act Now, Smash or Spray, Rotate Crops

Eyed Click Beetle: Dramatic Defense Mimicry in a Harmless Insect

Japanese Beetle Control on Peach Trees: Realistic Options

Japanese Beetle Control: When Hand-Picking Isn't Enough

Characteristic	May Beetle	Sugarcane Beetle
Scientific name	Phyllophaga spp.	Euetheola humilis
Activity period	Nocturnal, attracted to lights	Nocturnal, attracted to lights
Damaging stage	Larvae (white grubs)	Adults (unique among turf pests)
Turf damage	Root feeding by grubs	Adults feed on grass crowns/stems